Parking lockers

ABSTRACT

Methods and systems for retrieving or depositing a package using a beacon are described. A locker and parking space are assigned to a user or selected by the user, and the user is able to access the locker using a mobile device. The mobile device transmits identification information to a beacon associated with the locker. This information is passed to a service provider, who identifies the user or the locker and causes the locker to open.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/292,550, filed May 30, 2014, which is hereby incorporated byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to a method of retrieving ordepositing packages and reducing the burden of carrying packages duringa shopping trip.

Related Art

Typically, a shopping center has a plurality of retail sales locationsor stores, and some of these shopping centers have hundreds of storeswhich are located side-by-side over considerable distances on pedestrianthoroughfares or walkways. Shoppers are able to move over thesethoroughfares and into the retail establishments to make purchases andreceive packages of their goods at these points of purchase. Because onemay wish to shop at stores that happen to be far apart, it is anuisance, and often quite difficult for some individuals to carry theirpackages while they continue to shop. Furthermore, if the burden ofcarrying packages is great enough, one may be forced to cut short theintended shopping trip. Accordingly, there is a need to lessen thisburden on shoppers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for retrieving ordepositing a package according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a method for retrieving or depositing apackage according to an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for retrieving or depositing apackage according to another embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system for implementing a deviceaccording to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages are bestunderstood by referring to the detailed description that follows. Itshould be appreciated that like reference numerals are used to identifylike elements illustrated in one or more of the figures, whereinshowings therein are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of thepresent disclosure and not for purposes of limiting the same.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present disclosure describes systems and methods that remove userfriction associated with retrieving and depositing packages. In variousembodiments, a user is able to automatically access a locker associatedwith a parking space without manually providing identification orauthentication information. For example, the user need not provide apassword or personal identification number (PIN).

In one embodiment, the user goes shopping, pulls into a parking space,and selects a locker close to the parking space. The user uses his orher mobile device to connect with a beacon associated with the selectedlocker. As the user purchases items, authorized merchants can open theselected locker to place the purchased items in the locker. When theuser wants to open the locker, the beacon recognizes the mobile deviceof the user, and the locker is unlocked or opened.

In another embodiment, a locker is assigned to a user, a merchant placespurchased products or items in the locker, and the locker isautomatically opened when the user's mobile device is detected. Themobile device transmits identification information (e.g., user ID,password, PIN, account information, telephone number, address, emailaddress, etc.) to a beacon associated with the locker. Once the beaconreceives this information, it is passed along to a service provider, whoidentifies the user and the locker assigned to the user. The serviceprovider causes the locker assigned to the user to be opened so that theuser can retrieve the package. The same method can be used to drop off apackage in the locker.

FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a block diagram of a network-based system100 adapted to provide access to a package using a mobile device 120over a network 160. As shown, system 100 may comprise or implement aplurality of servers and/or software components that operate to performvarious methodologies in accordance with the described embodiments.Exemplary servers may include, for example, stand-alone andenterprise-class servers operating a server OS such as a MICROSOFT® OS,a UNIX® OS, a LINUX® OS, or other suitable server-based OS. It can beappreciated that the servers illustrated in FIG. 1 may be deployed inother ways and that the operations performed and/or the servicesprovided by such servers may be combined or separated for a givenimplementation and may be performed by a greater number or fewer numberof servers. One or more servers may be operated and/or maintained by thesame or different entities.

As shown in FIG. 1, the system 100 includes a mobile device 120 (e.g., asmartphone or a wearable computing device with a RFID chip), a merchantserver or device 130, a beacon 140 (e.g., a radio frequency beacon orBluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacon), a storage compartment or locker 145associated with the beacon 140, and at least one service provider serveror device 180 (e.g., network server device) in communication over thenetwork 160. The network 160, in one embodiment, may each be implementedas a single network or a combination of multiple networks. For example,in various embodiments, the network 160 may include the Internet and/orone or more intranets, landline networks, wireless networks, and/orother appropriate types of communication networks. In another example,the network 160 may comprise a wireless telecommunications network(e.g., cellular phone network) adapted to communicate with othercommunication networks, such as the Internet.

The mobile device 120 is configured to perform one or more tasks whenmobile device 120 is located in proximity to the beacon 140. The task tobe performed can include, for example, launching an application program,setting certain files to non-accessible mode, initiating a phone call,sounding an alarm, storing a message, displaying a message, receiving amessage, sending a message, etc.

The mobile device 120, in various embodiments, may be implemented usingany appropriate combination of hardware and/or software configured forwired and/or wireless communication over the network 160. The mobiledevice 120, in one embodiment, may be utilized by the user 102 tointeract with the service provider server 180 over the network 160. Forexample, the user 102 may conduct financial transactions (e.g., accounttransfers, bill payment, etc.) with the service provider server 180 viathe mobile device 120. In various implementations, the mobile device 120may include a wireless telephone (e.g., cellular or mobile phone), atablet, a wearable computing device, a personal computer, a notebookcomputer, and/or various other generally known types of wired and/orwireless computing devices.

The mobile device 120, in one embodiment, includes a user interfaceapplication 122, which may be utilized by the user 102 to conductfinancial transactions (e.g., shopping, purchasing, bidding, etc.) orinformation transactions with the merchant server or device 130 or theservice provider server 180 over the network 160. In one aspect,purchase expenses may be directly and/or automatically debited from anaccount related to the user 102 by the service provider when the user102 uses the user interface application 122.

In one implementation, the user interface application 122 comprises asoftware program, such as a graphical user interface (GUI), executableby a processor that is configured to interface and communicate with theservice provider server 180 via the network 160. In anotherimplementation, the user interface application 122 comprises a browsermodule that provides a network interface to browse information availableover the network 160. For example, the user interface application 122may be implemented, in part, as a web browser to view informationavailable over the network 160.

In an example, the user 102 is able to access merchant websites via theone or more merchant servers 130 to view and select items for purchase,and the user 102 is able to purchase items from the one or more merchantservers 130 via the service provider server 180. Accordingly, in one ormore embodiments, the user 102 may conduct transactions (e.g., purchaseand provide payment for one or more items) from the one or more merchantservers 130 via the service provider server 180.

The mobile device 120, in various embodiments, may include otherapplications 124 as may be desired in one or more embodiments of thepresent disclosure to provide additional features available to user 102.In one example, such other applications 124 may include securityapplications for implementing client-side security features, calendarapplication, contacts application, location-based services application,programmatic client applications for interfacing with appropriateapplication programming interfaces (APIs) over the network 160, and/orvarious other types of generally known programs and/or softwareapplications. In still other examples, the other applications 124 mayinterface with the user interface application 122 for improvedefficiency and convenience.

The mobile device 120, in one embodiment, may include at least one useridentifier 126, which may be implemented, for example, as operatingsystem registry entries, cookies associated with the user interfaceapplication 122, identifiers associated with hardware of the mobiledevice 120, or various other appropriate identifiers. The useridentifier 126 may include one or more attributes related to the user102, such as personal information related to the user 102 (e.g., one ormore user names, passwords, PIN numbers, photograph images, biometricIDs, addresses, phone numbers, etc.) and banking information and/orfunding sources (e.g., one or more banking institutions, credit cardissuers, user account numbers, security data and information, etc.). Invarious implementations, the user identifier 126 may be passed with auser login request to the service provider server 180 via the network160, and the user identifier 126 may be used by the service providerserver 180 to associate the user 102 with a particular user accountmaintained by the service provider server 180.

In some embodiments, the mobile device 120 includes a communicationsubsystem 128, which can include radio frequency receivers andtransmitters and/or optical (e.g., infrared) receivers and transmitters.The specific design and implementation of the communication subsystem128 can depend on the communication network over which the mobile device120 is intended to operate. For example, the mobile device 120 caninclude communication subsystems designed to operate over a GlobalSystem for Mobile Communication (GSM) network, a General Packet RadioService (GPRS) network, an Enhanced Data Rates for Global Evolution(EDGE) network, a Wi-Fi or WiMax network, an LTE Direct network, and aBluetooth™ network.

The one or more merchant servers 130, in various embodiments, may bemaintained by one or more business entities (or in some cases, by apartner of a business entity that processes transactions on behalf ofbusiness entities). Examples of businesses entities include merchantsites, resource information sites, utility sites, real estate managementsites, social networking sites, etc., which offer various items forpurchase and payment. In some embodiments, business entities may needregistration of the user identity information as part of offering itemsto the user 102 over the network 160. As such, each of the one or moremerchant servers 130 may include a merchant database 132 foridentification items for sale, which may be made available to the mobiledevice 120 for viewing and purchase by the user 102. In one or moreembodiments, user 102 may complete a transaction such as purchasing theitems via the service provider server 180.

Each of the merchant servers 130, in one embodiment, may include amarketplace application 134, which may be configured to provideinformation over the network 160 to the user interface application 122of the mobile device 120. For example, user 102 may interact with themarketplace application 134 through the user interface application 122over the network 160 to search and view various items available forpurchase in the merchant database 132.

Each of the merchant servers 130, in one embodiment, may include atleast one merchant identifier 136, which may be included as part of theone or more items made available for purchase so that, e.g., particularitems are associated with particular merchants. In one implementation,the merchant identifier 136 may include one or more attributes and/orparameters related to the merchant, such as business and bankinginformation. In various embodiments, user 102 may conduct transactions(e.g., searching, selection, monitoring, purchasing, and/or providingpayment for items) with each merchant server 130. The service providerserver 180 can assist in providing payment for items over the network160.

A merchant website may also communicate (for example, using merchantserver 130) with the service provider through service provider server180 over network 160. For example, the merchant website may communicatewith the service provider in the course of various services offered bythe service provider to merchant website, such as payment intermediarybetween customers of the merchant website and the merchant websiteitself. For example, the merchant website may use an applicationprogramming interface (API) that allows it to offer sale of goods inwhich customers are allowed to make payment through the serviceprovider, while user 102 may have an account with the service providerthat allows user 102 to use the service provider for making payments tomerchants that allow use of authentication, authorization, and paymentservices of service provider as a payment intermediary. The merchantwebsite may also have an account with the service provider.

Beacon 140 may be a hardware device including sensors that is separatefrom a user device and transportable, or it can be a user device thatincludes Bluetooth technology. To prevent theft of beacons in caseswhere the beacon 140 is transportable, the beacon 140 may be “lockeddown” such that it would not function if moved to another locationwithout secure configuration changes. Beacon 140 may be set up bymerchants or individuals offering various items, such as products and/orservices for sale. As defined herein, a “beacon” is a short rangecommunication device having a known or fixed location that provides asignal that can be detected by mobile devices within a certain proximityof the beacon. An example of a beacon is a radio frequency (RF) beacon(e.g., Bluetooth™ low energy (BLE) beacon), infrared beacon or a radiofrequency identifier (RFID) tag. For example, a BLE beacon can broadcastan RF signal that includes its position coordinates (e.g., latitude,longitude), which can be detected by a mobile device. In someimplementations, the beacon can also advertise location based servicesprovided by a beacon network. A beacon network encompasses a pluralityof beacons in a geographic region.

Beacon 140 is typically maintained by one or more service providers.When user 102 comes in range of beacon 140, a mobile application on themobile device 120 run by a service provider can wake up and connect tothe beacon 140. Mobile device 120 can then receive messages from beacon140, and beacon 140 can receive messages from the mobile device 120. Insome implementations, beacon 140 is a BLE beacon. Beacon 140 cantransmit customized messages to the mobile device 120 based on thelocation of the mobile device 120.

Beacon 140 can output a wireless signal that can be detected by mobiledevice 120 when mobile device 120 is within a certain proximity of thebeacon 140. Beacon 140 may be a device that periodically or continuouslytransmits a signal, such as a short-distance wireless (e.g., BLE),medium distance wireless (e.g., Wi-Fi), and/or other electro, magnetic,and/or electro-magnetic transmissions. Power on beacon 140 can beadjusted to communicate only within a desired range, which may depend onintended message ranges. Mobile device 120 is configured to detect thetransmitted signals from beacon 140, such that when mobile device 120 islocated within the transmission range of beacon 140, the signal may bedetected.

The locker 145 is a compartment or enclosure capable of holding items.The locker 145 may be part of a group of lockers. Each locker 145 in thegroup may include a display device, input device (e.g., keypad), keyreader, a printer, and a beacon (e.g., beacon 140). The display devicemay be any known display device such as a conventional monochrome CRTdisplay device, LCD screen, touch sensitive display screen, plasmascreen, or the like. The input device may be a numerical keypad,conventional computer keyboard, touch sensors in a display device, orany other device that may be used to convey information. The key readermay be an electronic, magnetic, or optical card reader, bar codescanner, or any other device that may be used to read an entry key. Theprinter may be a receipt printer as is known in the art, or any otherdevice that can generate physical copies of information for later reviewand/or use. Each locker 145 in the group of lockers may operate in avariety of ways (i.e., not all the lockers have to operate in the sameway). For example, the locker 145 may operate using numeric codes,passwords, bar codes, or a smart card. In certain embodiments, amerchant accesses a locker by using the key reader and/or input device.In various embodiments, the beacon 140 is used to lock and unlock thelocker 145, as further described below.

The service provider server 180, in one embodiment, may be maintained bya transaction processing entity, which may provide processing forfinancial transactions and/or information transactions between the user102, merchant server 130, and beacon 140. As such, the service providerserver 180 includes a service application 182, which may be adapted tointeract with the mobile device 120, merchant server 130, and/or beacon140 over the network 160. In one example, the service provider server180 may be provided by PayPal®, Inc., eBay® of San Jose, Calif., USA,and/or one or more financial institutions or a respective intermediarythat may provide multiple point of sale devices at various locations tofacilitate transaction routings between merchants and, for example,financial institutions.

The service provider server 180, in one embodiment, may be configured tomaintain one or more user accounts and merchant accounts in an accountdatabase 186 each of which may include account information 188associated with one or more individual users (e.g., user 102) andmerchants. For example, account information 188 may include privatefinancial information of user 102, such as one or more account numbers,passwords, credit card information, banking information, or other typesof financial information, which may be used to facilitate financialtransactions between user 102 and a merchant. In various aspects, themethods and systems described herein may be modified to accommodateusers and/or merchants that may or may not be associated with at leastone existing user account and/or merchant account, respectively.

In one implementation, the user 102 may have identity attributes storedwith the service provider server 180, and user 102 may have credentialsto authenticate or verify identity with the service provider server 180.User attributes may include personal information, banking informationand/or funding sources. In various aspects, the user attributes may bepassed to the service provider server 180 as part of a login, search,selection, purchase, and/or payment request, and the user attributes maybe utilized by the service provider server 180 to associate user 102with one or more particular user accounts maintained by the serviceprovider server 180.

In various embodiments, the service provider server 180 includes lockermanagement application 184. Locker management application 184 manages adrive-up locker service that is available to user 102. In exemplaryembodiments, a locker (e.g., locker 145) or group of lockers are placedin proximity to a parking space, and the locker 145 or group of lockersare associated with beacon 140. When the user 102 drives up and parks inthe parking space, he or she is able to access locker 145, and pick up apackage stored in the locker 145 or drop off a package in the locker145. In some embodiments, the beacon 140 receives identificationinformation from mobile device 120. The locker management application184 receives the identification information from the beacon 140,identifies the user 102 based on the identification information, matchesthe user 102 with a locker, and causes the locker to be opened so thatthe user 102 can retrieve or drop off a package.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a flowchart 200 of a method for retrieving ordepositing a package is illustrated according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure. In various embodiments, the user 102 registers witha service provider, which runs a mobile application. Registration mayinclude signing up for the service and agreeing to any terms required bythe service provider, such as through a user device. In one embodiment,the user device is a mobile computing device, such as a smartphone, aPC, or a computing tablet. In other embodiments, registration may bedone completely through the user device, partially through the userdevice, or without using the user device, such as through a phone callor in-person visit to a representative of the payment service provider.

The user may be requested to provide specific information forregistration, such as, but not limited to, a name, address, phonenumber, email address, picture, a user name for the account, a passwordor PIN for the account, or other biometric identification such as afingerprint. The type of information may depend on whether the useralready has an account with the service provider. Requested informationmay be entered through the user device or other means, including voiceor manual key entry. Once all the requested information is received andconfirmed, the service provider may create an account for the user.

At step 202, the user 102 parks in a parking space in a merchant parkinglot and selects a locker close to the parking space. For example, thelocker may be a locker right next to the space, or a locker at the endof the parking row. In one embodiment, the mobile device 120 is asmartphone. The smartphone connects to the beacon 140 associated withthe selected locker 145. The beacon 140 links the user 102 to theselected locker 145 so that the user 102 can open the locker 145 whenthe beacon 140 recognizes the smartphone. In another embodiment, themobile device 120 is a wearable device with an RFID chip (e.g., RFIDbracelet) that is issued to the user 102 and that is already linked tolocker 145. When the user 102 wants to open locker 145, the beacon 140recognizes the wearable device as associated with the locker 145, andthe locker 145 opens.

The locker is typically not associated with just one merchant, butinstead can be used by many merchants. In certain embodiments, thelocker is part of a group of lockers managed or maintained by a shoppingmall where the merchant is located. Individual lockers may be a varietyof sizes so as to fit various items or packages. Alternatively, thelockers may be sized uniformly.

In exemplary embodiments, the locker is located in a parking lot orparking structure and is associated with a specific parking space. Abeacon (e.g., beacon 140) may be associated with a specific locker(e.g., locker 145) or group of lockers. The beacon 140 can receiveidentification information from the mobile device 120 when the user 102comes within a certain range of the beacon 140, and passes on theidentification information so that the correct locker is opened. Invarious embodiments, each parking space includes its own locker and itsown beacon. Only the user 102 is able to access the locker while theuser 102 is parked in the parking space, and no one else can open thelocker until the parking space is empty. In some embodiments, the beacon140 detects the mobile device 120 as the user 102 pulls into the parkingspace, and associates the mobile device 120 with the locker even if thelocker is not being used. In this way, a locker opens any time themobile device 120 is detected. The beacon 140 detects the mobile device120 a second time as the user 102 pulls out of the parking space,thereby removing the user 102's access to the locker. In otherembodiments, a group of parking spaces (e.g., a portion of a parkinglot) may be associated with a group of lockers and a beacon. The beaconis located in proximity to the locker and/or parking space. By locatingthe locker next to or in proximity to a parking space, it is easier forthe user 102 to load/unload and place packages in a car or othervehicle. In some embodiments, the user 102 does not need to get out ofthe car to receive the package, but may obtain the package through a carwindow.

At step 204, the user 102 purchases one or more items from a merchant(e.g., a merchant associated with merchant device or server 130). Forexample, the user 102 can enter a physical store of a merchant, selectitems, and pay for the purchase. After payment for the items, the user102 can indicate to the merchant that he or she wants the purchaseditems placed in the locker 145. The user 102 may provide the lockernumber to the merchant and authorize the merchant to open the locker145. For example, the user 102 can indicate to the service provider viathe mobile device 120 that the user 102 gives permission to a particularmerchant to open the locker 145. When the beacon 140 detects a merchantdevice, identifying information of the merchant device can be passed tothe service provider server 180 so that an authorized merchant isidentified, and the locker 145 is opened.

The locker service allows the user 102 to continue shopping at otherstores without the burden of carrying the item around. This frees theuser 102 to spend as much time as he or she wants browsing and visitingother locations. In various embodiments, the merchant holds thepurchased item for the user 102 until the user 102 is ready to pick upthe items in locker 145. In other embodiments, the user 102 takes theitem, drops it off at a kiosk with an attendant, the attendant placesthe item in the locker 145, and then the user 102 picks it up in thelocker 145.

At step 206, the merchant places the purchased items in the locker. Eachmerchant that the user 102 visits may be provided with the number of thelocker 145 so that each merchant can place purchased items in the locker145 for the user 102. In some embodiments, the user 102 is notified eachtime an item is delivered to the locker 145. Delivery of an item isdetected in various ways including, for example, a merchant or couriersending a signal from a merchant or courier device, detection of amerchant or courier device by a beacon, and detection of the opening andclosing of a locker.

In various embodiments, the user 102's purchases are consolidated andthe locker 145 is opened only once to reduce the risk of missing items.For example, even though the user 102 purchases items from Merchant A,Merchant B, and Merchant C, the items from all three merchants aredelivered to the locker 145 all at once, rather than one by one. Onceall purchased items are delivered, the user 102 can be notified. In someembodiments, merchants and couriers are allowed access to the locker 145only at specific times or periods, to limit and better control access.

At step 208, when the user 102 is done shopping for the day, he or shereturns to the parking space and locker. The user 102 takes out themobile device 120. The mobile device 120 makes a connection with beacon140. For example, the beacon 140 senses user 102's presence by way ofelectronic communication with mobile device 120. The beacon 140 receivesa request to unlock a locker from the mobile device 120, and receivesidentification information such as account credentials, mobile devicedetails (e.g., user identifier 126), and/or locker identificationinformation from the mobile device 120.

At step 210, the beacon 140 passes the identification information to theservice provider server 180. The locker associated with the mobiledevice 120 can be identified based on the identification information andopened. The user 102 can also be identified by the service providerserver 180 using the user identifier 126 and/or the account credentials(e.g., user name, password, email address, telephone number, etc.).Identity verification may also be implemented based on one or more of ascan of an identity card, a photograph of a user's face, and/or a scanof the user's fingerprints.

At step 212, the service provider server 180 identifies the user 102 anddetermines which locker is associated with the user 102. For example,the service provider server 180 can look up the user 102 and retrievethe user 102's locker number from a database.

At step 214, the service provider server 180 instructs the merchantserver 130 or another entity who has control over the locker 145 to openor unlock the locker 145. The user 102 can then receive the contents inthe locker 145 or place an item in the locker 145.

Referring now to FIG. 3, a flowchart 300 of a method for retrieving ordepositing a package according to another embodiment of the presentdisclosure is illustrated. At step 302, the user 102 purchases one ormore items from a merchant associated with merchant device or server130. In an example, the user 102 uses mobile device 120 to shop. Forinstance, the user 102 may access a merchant site, seller site,marketplace site, or other site or mobile app that enables a user toshop and make a purchase. The user 102 then selects desired items forpurchase. The purchase may be items, physical goods, digital goods,donations, services, etc. Note that items, as used herein, may includeone or more of the different purchases listed above. The selected itemsmay be placed in a cart, which the user 102 can review and edit ifneeded.

After payment for the items, the user 102 can indicate that he or shewants to use the drive-up locker service to pick up the purchased items.If the user 102 has pre-ordered items or arranged for a retail store tohold items for pick up, the store may be provided advanced notice of theuser's visit and may arrange for the item to be available for the user102 for pick up in a locker, such as when the user 102 enters a merchantparking lot.

At step 304, the merchant server 130 or another entity with control ofthe lockers assigns an unoccupied locker (e.g., locker 145) to holdpackages for the user 102, and the merchant places the package in thelocker 145. In certain embodiments, delivery of packages is trackedbased on when a courier or merchant device is detected at the locker145, and the locker 145 opened. In this way, there is accountability ofthe package in the event a package is missing.

In some embodiments, a label may be placed on the package that containsinformation regarding the assigned locker 145. The locker is assignedbased on various factors, such as location of the user 102, size of itemor package to be placed in the locker, the kind of item or package to beplaced in the locker (e.g., if it needs refrigeration or any type ofspecial handling), etc. The locker 145 can be conveniently located inthe same building, shopping structure or shopping mall that the user 102is shopping at, or a self-parking area of the mall. For example, theuser 102 may be shopping at The Orange Mall, and the locker 145 islocated in the parking structure connected to the Orange Mall. In someembodiments, the locker 145 is located in the parking lot of themerchant. For example, the locker may be located in a Wal-Mart parkinglot. The assigned locker 145 is sized to hold the package and holds thepackage until the user 102 retrieves the package.

At step 306, the merchant server 130 communicates the location of theassigned locker (e.g., locker #123 at the second floor of the parkingstructure) and an assigned parking space corresponding to the assignedlocker (e.g., parking space #123) to the user 102. For example, themerchant server 130 may send a message to the user 102 of the mobiledevice 120 (e.g., email message, telephone call, text message, etc.)informing the user 102 that to retrieve his or her package, he or sheneeds to visit the specific locker and park in the specific parkingspace. The merchant server 130 also sends the locker and userinformation to the service provider server 180.

At step 308, the user 102 drives into the assigned parking space. Themobile device 120 makes a connection with beacon 140. The beacon 140senses user 102's presence by way of electronic communication withmobile device 120. The beacon 140 receives a request to unlock a lockerfrom the mobile device 120, and receives identification information suchas account credentials and/or mobile device details (e.g., useridentifier 126) from the mobile device 120. In some embodiments, themobile device 120 also transmits a locker number to the beacon 140.

At step 310, the beacon 140 passes this information to the serviceprovider server 180. The user 102 can be identified by the serviceprovider server 180 using the user identifier 126 and/or the accountcredentials (e.g., user name, password, email address, telephone number,etc.). Identity verification may also be implemented based on one ormore of a scan of an identity card, a photograph of a user's face,and/or a scan of the user's fingerprints.

In some embodiments, even before the user 102 makes a purchase, he orshe is assigned a locker and a parking space. For example, the user 102makes a trip to the supermarket and pulls into the assigned parkingspace. The supermarket is notified that the user 102 is in the parkinglot when a beacon associated with the assigned locker detects the mobiledevice 120. The supermarket knows which locker is assigned to the user102 because of where the user 102 is parked. When the user 102 checksout, the supermarket can place the purchased groceries in the assignedlocker.

In various embodiments, the service provider server 180 can confirm theidentity of the user 102 based on vehicle identification details. Forexample, vehicle identification information may be extracted from imagedata taken of the vehicle parked in the parking space associated withthe assigned locker. Vehicle identification information includes thelicense plate number of the vehicle, make of the vehicle, model of thevehicle, color of the vehicle, and a geographic location or licenseplate issuing authority/entity (e.g., state or country government) towhich a license plate belongs or is associated with. Vehicleidentification information can also include one or more distinguishingfeatures of the vehicle (e.g., dents, scratches, bumper stickers,emblems, decals), and various vehicle features (e.g., sunroof, spoiler,rims or hubcaps, exhaust pipes, etc.). The vehicle identificationinformation is used to further authenticate the user 102. In someembodiments, portions of the vehicle information may be stored in athird party database. For example, in some embodiments, license plateinformation may be stored in a third party database maintained by astate's Department of Motor Vehicles.

At step 312, the service provider server 180 identifies the user 102 anddetermines which locker contains the package for user 102. For example,the service provider server 180 can look up the user 102 and retrievethe user 102's assigned locker number from a database. At step 314, theservice provider server 180 instructs the merchant server 130 to open orunlock the locker. The user 102 can then receive the contents in thelocker.

If the user 102 fails to pick up his or her package, the serviceprovider server 180 may send a notification to the mobile device 120with the locker and parking space details. The user 102 may be allowedto pick up the package within a predetermined number of days. Beyondthis predetermined period, the package may be returned to the merchant.

It should be noted that the locker or group of lockers can function notonly as a pick up point, but a drop off point also. In this embodiment,the user 102 can drive into a parking space and select a locker asdescribed above with respect to FIG. 2. The user 102 can also request alocker from the merchant server 130 and tell the merchant server 130 thesize of the drop off load. The merchant server 130 assigns an availablelocker and parking space to the user 102. When the user 102 pulls up inthe parking space, the mobile device 120 transmits identificationinformation to the beacon 140. The beacon 140 sends the identificationinformation to the service provider, and the service provider instructsthe merchant to open the locker. The locker is then available for theuser 102 to deposit the package he/she wants to drop off. The user 102may post instructions on the package as how he/she wants the package tobe handled. The features discussed above with respect to depositing apackage in a locker are equally applicable to methods of dropping off apackage in a locker.

The present disclosure describes systems and methods that reduce theburden of a user by allowing packages to be picked up and dropped off inlockers. The lockers are conveniently located near where the user isshopping. The user does not need to memorize or remember a password orcarry a card to access the locker. Instead, the user's mobile deviceacts as the “key” to open the locker.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a computer system 400 suitable forimplementing one or more embodiments of the present disclosure,including the mobile device 120, the merchant device or server 130,beacon 140, and the service provider server 180. In variousimplementations, the mobile device 120, merchant device or server 130,and beacon 140, and may comprise a mobile cellular phone, personalcomputer (PC), laptop, wearable computing device, etc. adapted forwireless communication, and the service provider server 180 may comprisea network computing device, such as a server. Thus, it should beappreciated that the devices 120, 130, 140, and 180 may be implementedas computer system 400 in a manner as follows.

Computer system 400 includes a bus 412 or other communication mechanismfor communicating information data, signals, and information betweenvarious components of computer system 400. Components include aninput/output (I/O) component 404 that processes a user (i.e., sender,recipient, service provider) action, such as selecting keys from akeypad/keyboard, selecting one or more buttons or links, etc., and sendsa corresponding signal to bus 412. I/O component 404 may also include anoutput component, such as a display 402 and a cursor control 408 (suchas a keyboard, keypad, mouse, etc.). An optional audio input/outputcomponent 406 may also be included to allow a user to use voice forinputting information by converting audio signals. Audio I/O component406 may allow the user to hear audio. A transceiver or network interface420 transmits and receives signals between computer system 400 and otherdevices, such as another user device, a merchant server, or a serviceprovider server via network 422. In one embodiment, the transmission iswireless, although other transmission mediums and methods may also besuitable. A processor 414, which can be a micro-controller, digitalsignal processor (DSP), or other processing component, processes thesevarious signals, such as for display on computer system 400 ortransmission to other devices via a communication link 424. Processor414 may also control transmission of information, such as cookies or IPaddresses, to other devices.

Components of computer system 400 also include a system memory component410 (e.g., RAM), a static storage component 416 (e.g., ROM), and/or adisk drive 418. Computer system 400 performs specific operations byprocessor 414 and other components by executing one or more sequences ofinstructions contained in system memory component 410. Logic may beencoded in a computer readable medium, which may refer to any mediumthat participates in providing instructions to processor 414 forexecution. Such a medium may take many forms, including but not limitedto, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Invarious implementations, non-volatile media includes optical or magneticdisks, volatile media includes dynamic memory, such as system memorycomponent 410, and transmission media includes coaxial cables, copperwire, and fiber optics, including wires that comprise bus 412. In oneembodiment, the logic is encoded in non-transitory computer readablemedium. In one example, transmission media may take the form of acousticor light waves, such as those generated during radio wave, optical, andinfrared data communications.

Some common forms of computer readable media includes, for example,floppy disk, flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magneticmedium, CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, anyother physical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM,FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other mediumfrom which a computer is adapted to read.

In various embodiments of the present disclosure, execution ofinstruction sequences to practice the present disclosure may beperformed by computer system 400. In various other embodiments of thepresent disclosure, a plurality of computer systems 400 coupled bycommunication link 424 to the network (e.g., such as a LAN, WLAN, PTSN,and/or various other wired or wireless networks, includingtelecommunications, mobile, and cellular phone networks) may performinstruction sequences to practice the present disclosure in coordinationwith one another.

Where applicable, various embodiments provided by the present disclosuremay be implemented using hardware, software, or combinations of hardwareand software. Also, where applicable, the various hardware componentsand/or software components set forth herein may be combined intocomposite components comprising software, hardware, and/or both withoutdeparting from the spirit of the present disclosure. Where applicable,the various hardware components and/or software components set forthherein may be separated into sub-components comprising software,hardware, or both without departing from the scope of the presentdisclosure. In addition, where applicable, it is contemplated thatsoftware components may be implemented as hardware components andvice-versa.

Software in accordance with the present disclosure, such as program codeand/or data, may be stored on one or more computer readable mediums. Itis also contemplated that software identified herein may be implementedusing one or more general purpose or specific purpose computers and/orcomputer systems, networked and/or otherwise. Where applicable, theordering of various steps described herein may be changed, combined intocomposite steps, and/or separated into sub-steps to provide featuresdescribed herein.

The various features and steps described herein may be implemented assystems comprising one or more memories storing various informationdescribed herein and one or more processors coupled to the one or morememories and a network, wherein the one or more processors are operableto perform steps as described herein, as non-transitory machine-readablemedium comprising a plurality of machine-readable instructions which,when executed by one or more processors, are adapted to cause the one ormore processors to perform a method comprising steps described herein,and methods performed by one or more devices, such as a hardwareprocessor, user device, server, and other devices described herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A non-transitory machine-readable medium havingstored thereon machine-readable instructions executable to cause amachine to perform operations comprising: receiving a user request froma mobile device to reserve a locker associated with a parking space;associating the locker with the mobile device based at least on the userrequest; receiving, from the locker, information that corresponds to acommunication between the mobile device and the locker; in response toreceiving the information from the locker, (i) verifying that the mobiledevice is within a predetermined distance from the locker and (ii)authenticating a vehicle identity of a vehicle located at the parkingspace based at least on image data captured by a camera deviceassociated with the locker; and in response to the verifying and theauthenticating, causing the locker to unlock.
 2. The non-transitorymachine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the captured image dataindicates at least one of a license plate of the vehicle, a model of thevehicle, or a color of the vehicle.
 3. The non-transitorymachine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein the operations furthercomprise: determining a user authorization for a merchant to access thelocker based at least on communication data received from the mobiledevice; causing the locker to unlock based at least on the userauthorization for the merchant to access the locker; and causing themobile device to display a notification indicating that an item isdelivered based on detecting that the locker has been opened.
 4. Thenon-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1, wherein theoperations further comprise: causing the locker to unlock at one or moretimes based at least on a user authorization received; determining thatthe locker has been opened during the one or more times based at leaston second information received from the locker; and causing the mobiledevice to display a notification indicating that an item is deliveredbased on the determining that the locker has been opened during the oneor more times.
 5. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1,wherein the operations further comprise: determining a user selection ofthe locker from a plurality of lockers associated with the parkingspace, wherein the locker is associated with the mobile device based atleast on the user selection of the locker from the plurality of lockers.6. A method, comprising: receiving a locker request from a mobiledevice, wherein the locker request is associated with a parking space;transmitting to the mobile device data related to a plurality of lockersassociated with the parking space; causing the mobile device to displayinformation about the plurality of lockers based on the data;identifying a particular locker selected from the plurality of lockersbased at least on a user selection received from the mobile device;receiving, from the particular locker, information that corresponds to acommunication between the mobile device and the particular locker; inresponse to receiving the information, (i) verifying that the mobiledevice is within a predetermined distance from the particular locker and(ii) authenticating a vehicle identity of a vehicle located at theparking space based at least on image data captured by a camera deviceassociated with the particular locker; and in response to the verifyingand the authenticating, causing the particular locker to unlock.
 7. Themethod of claim 6, further comprising: determining that an item isdelivered to the particular locker based at least on communication datareceived from a merchant device; and causing the mobile device todisplay a notification indicating that the item is delivered to theparticular locker.
 8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:determining a user authorization for a merchant to access the particularlocker based at least on communication data received from the mobiledevice; determining that the particular locker has been opened based atleast on the user authorization for the merchant to access the selectedlocker; and causing the mobile device to display a notificationindicating that an item is delivered based on the determining that theparticular locker has been opened.
 9. The method of claim 6, furthercomprising: causing the particular locker to unlock during one or moretime periods based at least on a user authorization received;determining that the particular locker has been opened during the one ormore time periods based at least on second information received from theparticular locker; and causing the mobile device to display anotification indicating that an item is delivered based on thedetermining that the particular locker has been opened during the one ormore time periods.
 10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:receiving a request from the mobile device for a location of theparticular locker; identifying the location of the particular lockerfrom a plurality of locations that correspond to the plurality oflockers; and communicating the identified location of the particularlocker to the mobile device.
 11. The method of claim 6, furthercomprising: authenticating a user identity of a user based at least onthe image data, wherein the locker is caused to unlock further based onthe authenticated user identity.
 12. The method of claim 6, wherein thecaptured image data indicates at least one of a license plate of a uservehicle, a model of the user vehicle, or a color of the user vehicle.13. A system comprising: a non-transitory memory; and one or morehardware processors coupled to the non-transitory memory and configuredto read instructions from the non-transitory memory to cause the systemto perform operations comprising: receiving a user request from a mobiledevice to reserve a locker associated with a parking space; associatingthe locker with the mobile device based at least on the user request;receiving, from the locker, information that corresponds to acommunication between the mobile device and the locker; in response toreceiving the information from the locker, (i) verifying that the mobiledevice is within a predetermined distance from the locker and (ii)authenticating a vehicle identity of a vehicle located at the parkingspace based at least on image data captured by a camera deviceassociated with the locker; and in response to the verifying and theauthenticating, causing the locker to unlock.
 14. The system of claim13, wherein the captured image data indicates at least one of a licenseplate of the vehicle, a model of the vehicle, or a color of the vehicle.15. The system of claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise:determining a user authorization for a merchant to access the lockerbased at least on communication data received from the mobile device;causing the locker to unlock based at least on the user authorizationfor the merchant to access the locker; and causing the mobile device todisplay a notification indicating that an item is delivered based ondetecting that the locker has been opened.
 16. The system of claim 13,wherein the operations further comprise: causing the locker to unlock atone or more times based at least on a user authorization received;determining that the locker has been opened during the one or more timesbased at least on second information received from the locker; andcausing the mobile device to display a notification indicating that anitem is delivered based on the determining that the locker has beenopened during the one or more times.
 17. The system of claim 13, whereinthe operations further comprise: determining a user selection of thelocker from a plurality of lockers associated with the parking space,wherein the locker is associated with the mobile device based at leaston the user selection of the locker from the plurality of lockers. 18.The system of claim 17, wherein the operations further comprise:receiving a request from the mobile device for a location of the locker;identifying the location of the locker from a plurality of locationsthat correspond to the plurality of lockers; and communicating theidentified location of the locker to the mobile device.
 19. The systemof claim 13, wherein the operations further comprise authenticating auser identity of a user based at least on the image data, wherein thelocker is caused to unlock further based on the authenticated useridentity.
 20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 1,wherein the operations further comprise authenticating a user identityof a user based at least on the image data, wherein the locker is causedto unlock further based on the authenticated user identity.